


The Better Mask

by llaivbot



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 03:27:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4650498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/llaivbot/pseuds/llaivbot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'm not completely sure what this is, but it's basically some of Tony's inner monologue in the Avengers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Better Mask

“Big man in a suit of armor,” Steve started to say, his eyes squinted with frustration. Tony hated that constant air of patriotism Steve carried around him. He was just so…. good. Good was something that never cam easily to Tony, and he didn’t mind until Cap came around and made him mind. “Take that away, and what are you?” he finished. His arms were crossed around his chest, and the air hung uncomfortably that way for a while.

Take that away, and what are you?

The words echoed through Tony’s mind with bitter clarity. What had he been without the armor? He couldn’t even remember a life without it, and everything he would remember had been watered down with the booze. A lot of it. 

Now that Tony had the armor, he didn’t need booze.

The armor was Tony’s escape now. Maybe he wasn’t a good person, but doing good things, or even pretending to be good was enough. It made him forget. More than anything else ever had. The humor, the girls, the weapons, and even more than the drinks. The alcohol took away his identity along with the problems. The armor gave him a new identity on top of the old one to supplement the problems.

Take that away, and what are you?

Before the armor: a drunk, a coward, and a pathetic waste of space. Each label was a jab at his organs with a spear.

Now…

Tony sighed. The world may hold this image of the iron- clad hero in their minds, but that image had never matched up with his vision of himself.

The last few weeks had been.. heavy.

He felt so helpless, and it drove him crazy. He found himself licking his lips again, remembering the acidic dribble of the alcohol down his throat. He tried to push the image out of his mind, but every time they lost a battle, it just seeped back in.

The truth was, he hadn’t changed since the armor. He was the same version of himself, only wearing a better mask.

Take that mask away, and he saw the truth. The rest of the Avengers casting judgmental glances in his direction, and Fury studying his every move. They knew he didn’t belong on this team, and every mistake he made, he could feel his self- confidence crumbling. 

Who would want to work with an overly narcissistic, snarky billionaire?

Take that armor away from him, and he was nothing. Nothing in the eyes of himself or anyone else.

Steve was studying him, and Banner had stopped working, both of them silently waiting for his response. 

“Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist,” Tony said smoothly, like he always did, but he could feel bile rising in his throat, and his head was pounding.

He heard Steve’s voice saying it this time.

Take that away, and you’re nothing.


End file.
